Russian province takes action against “toxic” Chinese-grown veg

All Chinese-operated farms in the eastern Russian province of Khakassia must be closed to stop “toxic” vegetables appearing on the shop shelves, the region’s acting governor Viktor Zimin has said at sitting of the Khakassian government.

… Laboratory analysis of the soil samples has also found high levels of nitrates, fluorine, and several as-yet unidentified substances. At 11 sites, soil has been declared too contaminated for agriculture.

… Mr Zimin has ordered all farming to stop on the lands currently occupied by greenhouses. He has also instructed the local schools and kindergartens to stop buying Chinese-grown vegetables.

He has declared that not a single acre of land in Khakassia will be leased to Chinese vegetable farmers in 2014.